**Chapter 2: Facade**

The bright Australian sunlight streaming through the hotel room window did little to alleviate the darkness that had settled within Luiza. She pasted a bright smile on her face, trying to appear more chipper than she felt. Jack, oblivious to the turmoil brewing inside her, walked into the room, whistling a jaunty tune. "Morning, beautiful," he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Ready for the day?" Luiza's stomach churned at the familiar endearment, but she forced a nod. "Yeah, I'm ready." They headed downstairs to the hotel restaurant, where their son, Lucas, and Jack's family were waiting for them. Luiza's heart sank as she saw Jack's mother, father, and brother, Alex, chatting with their team, including his coach, Marco. They all seemed so carefree, so oblivious to the charade that was about to unfold. As they sat down at the table, Luiza's brother, Rafael, who was also in town for the tournament, caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. She knew he was concerned, but she just shook her head, signaling for him to drop it. The breakfast conversation was stilted, with Luiza struggling to keep up the facade. Jack seemed oblivious to her tension, chatting easily with his family and team about the tournament and their plans for the day. But Luiza's eyes kept drifting back to Jack, searching for any sign of guilt or remorse. She found none. He seemed his usual self, confident and charismatic, as he discussed his strategy for the day's matches. As they finished breakfast and headed out of the restaurant, Luiza felt like she was walking on eggshells. She knew that one misstep could shatter the fragile peace they had managed to maintain. The Australian Open was about to begin, and Luiza was trapped in a nightmare of her own making. She had to keep up the act, for Lucas's sake, for Jack's sake, but most of all, for her own sake. She couldn't let her world crumble around her, not yet. As they walked to the locker room, Jack's arm slung casually over her shoulder, Luiza felt a pang of resentment. How could he do this to her? To them? To Lucas? She pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand: surviving the next few days without losing her mind. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air as they made their way to the locker room. Luiza's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a friendly face. She spotted Jannik Sinner, a fellow tennis player and friend of Jack's, and forced a smile. "Hey, Jannik," she said, trying to sound casual. Jannik's eyes flicked to Jack, then back to Luiza, and for a moment, Luiza thought she saw a glimmer of understanding. But he just smiled and said, "Hey, Luiza. You guys ready for today?" Luiza nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Jannik for not pushing the issue. She knew that he was one of the few people who knew Jack well enough to sense that something was off. As they parted ways, Luiza couldn't help but wonder what the next few days would bring. Would she be able to keep up the facade, or would her emotions get the better of her? The uncertainty was suffocating, but Luiza knew she had to keep moving forward, one step at a time. She took a deep breath and turned to Jack, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jack's eyes flicked to hers, a hint of concern etched on his face. "What's up?" Luiza hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject. But she knew she had to try. "I just need to get some fresh air. Can we take a walk outside for a minute?" Jack nodded, his arm still slung over her shoulder. "Sure, let's go." As they walked outside, Luiza felt a sense of trepidation. She knew that she was taking a risk, but she had to try to talk to Jack, to try to get through to him. The Australian sun beat down on them, warming the air. Luiza felt a sense of calm wash over her, and for a moment, she forgot about the charade they were living. But as they walked, Luiza's emotions began to surface again. She felt a pang of anger, of hurt, of betrayal. She stopped suddenly, turning to Jack. "How could you do this to me, Jack?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Jack's eyes flicked to hers, a look of guilt etched on his face. But he said nothing, just stood there, frozen in time. Luiza felt a sense of despair wash over her. She knew that she had to keep moving forward, but she didn't know how. All she knew was that she had to try, for herself, for Lucas, and for their marriage.